Yap ‘rescues’ 100 tons of Benguet veggies, renews call for immediate passage of HB 9889
RESCUE BUY. Some 100 tons of vegetables, mostly cabbage, were bought by Cong. Eric Go Yap recently as sales of these highly perishable items have slowed down. Yap earlier filed a bill that will grant the Department of Agriculture (DA) the authority to regulate farmgate prices for highly perishable vegetables. (Office of Benguet Representative Yap Staff File Photos)
Benguet Congressman Eric Go Yap recently initiated the buying and distribution of 100 tons of cabbage and assorted vegetables for free in Metro Manila.
This effort aims to help farmers recover from the economic impact of Typhoon Carina, which disrupted the trading of high-value crops due to the closure of several major road networks in Benguet and neighboring provinces.
Despite the stable supply of highland vegetables, the aftermath of the typhoon has presented significant challenges to farmers in Benguet with the solon actively seeking ways to support the farmers during these difficult times.
Aside from buying the vegetables, Yap also provided meals to farmers who were waiting in line for traders to buy their produce at the Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center.
Earlier this year, Yap filed a bill that seeks to grant the Department of Agriculture (DA) the authority to regulate farmgate prices for highly perishable vegetables.
Highlighting the dire situation, Yap explained that the extremely low farmgate prices of these crops not only threaten the livelihoods of farmers but also leave them vulnerable to substantial revenue losses.
The proposed bill assigns the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards, a division of the DA, the responsibility of developing standards to establish fair farmgate prices for highly perishable vegetables. This measure aims to provide a safety net for farmers, ensuring they receive adequate compensation for their produce and safeguarding their economic stability.
Under House Bill 9889, this Act should not be interpreted with the intent of shunning prices above the standard farmgate price as this Act only seeks to impose a standard farmgate price which will only serve as a baseline for pricing.
In the event of a surplus, the DA must buy vegetables from registered farmers at the farm gate price to avoid waste and to effectively guarantee a certain income level for each harvest. When supplies are adequate, government agencies are also required to buy produce from farmers to supply their food-related programs.
The proposed law also requires farmers to register highly perishable vegetable crops for price and supply monitoring.
With the Secretary of Agriculture chairing, the proposed house bill also calls for an inter-agency council to monitor farmgate prices. Other members of the council are the Secretaries of Trade and Industry, Interior and Local Government, and the National Economic and Development Authority. ### (PR)
